Gabriels: Angels and Queens Part One review – could this be the album of the year?
Frontman Jacob Lusk is nothing short of incredible on the trio’s debut album, a powerful half-hour of top-tier songwriting that proves Gabriels are far more than soul revivalists - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarLou Reed: Words & Music, May 1965 review – revelatory early cuts
The 23-year-old Reed and John Cale try things out for size in this treasure trove of previously unreleased demos - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarHeiner Goebbels: A House of Call review – fascinating work, mesmerisingly performed
Beckett, Rumi and first-world-war prisoners are referenced in Heiner Goebbels’ diverse score that incorporates chanting, jazz-rock, rhythmic dislocations and delicate solos - Andrew Clements
starstarstarstarstarDanger Mouse and Black Thought: Cheat Codes review – an out-and-out hip-hop masterpiece
Razor-sharp US rapper Black Thought and his one-time acolyte, now super-producer, Danger Mouse, finally get it together on an album that’s a nonstop joy - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarJohannes Brahms: Complete Symphonies review – constantly fascinating performances
Emulating Brahms himself with an orchestra of fewer than 50 players, these fresh, engaging recordings show that less can mean a lot more - Andrew Clements
starstarstarstarstarNina Nastasia: Riderless Horse review – devastatingly powerful songs of survival
The cult American singer-songwriter endured 25 years of abuse at the hands of her partner, an experience wrenchingly recorded in her first album in 12 years - Phil Mongredien
starstarstarstarstarSteve Lacy: Gemini Rights review – a sumptuous listen
This singular talent goes to the next level with his deliciously languid second solo alum - Tara Joshi
starstarstarstarstarThe Midsummer Marriage review – Tippett’s heady mix has the recording it deserves
Gardner captures perfectly the overflowing exuberance of Tippett’s score, with Toby Spence and Jennifer France an ideal Jack and Bella - Andrew Clements
starstarstarstarstarAlex G: God Save the Animals review – richly textured explorations
The American musician continues to mine a rich seam of autobiography and fiction - Tara Joshi
starstarstarstarstarMakaya McCraven: In These Times review – a generous unspooling
Hip-hop breakouts, machine music and sumptuous strings vie with out-and-out jazz brilliance on the US drummer-producer’s latest - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarMiles Davis: That’s What Happened 1982-1985: The Bootleg Series Vol 7 review – more discarded gems
Outtakes from the trumpeter’s Star People, Decoy and You’re Under Arrest albums, plus a live gig from 1983, continue Sony’s meticulous series - Dave Gelly
starstarstarstarstarCerys Hafana: Edyf review – using the Welsh triple harp to connect past and present
Hafana uses her instrument as a percussive, jagged-toothed tool with which she excavates songs from the Welsh National Library’s archives - Jude Rogers
starstarstarstarstarTim Burgess: Typical Music review – eclectic adventure shows boundless lust for life
The Charlatans frontman’s songs of love and life after Covid range from driving pop to Sparks-ish electronica, sumptuous arrangements and modern psychedelia - Dave Simpson
starstarstarstarstarAbel Selaocoe: Where Is Home review – captivating, complex and compelling
The cellist guides us through his musical life so far, from traditional African dance rhythms to 18th-century sonatas - Erica Jeal
starstarstarstarstarSuede: Autofiction review – a back-to-basics triumph
A renewed sense of urgency – and enjoyment – pulses through this punchy, passionate comeback - Phil Mongredien
starstarstarstarstarJake Blount: The New Faith review – Afrofuturism for the apocalypse
Blount and co draw on spirituals on this strikingly minimalist album set in a future world devastated by climate change - Neil Spencer
starstarstarstarstarRina Sawayama: Hold the Girl review – poetry, power and pure pop
The British-Japanese star dials down the jarring fusion of her debut on a set of beautifully crafted out-and-out hits - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarHekla: Xiuxiuejar review – reclaiming the unique appeal of the theremin
The Soviet-era electronic instrument is often used as an exotic novelty, but the Icelandic musician unleashes its real potential - John Lewis
starstarstarstarstarAmadigi review – winning recording should gain Handel’s romantic tale new fans
There are glorious and nuanced performances in a new recording of this lesser-known Handel opera, courtesy of Christian Curnyn and his Early Opera Company - Erica Jeal
starstarstarstarstarSantigold: Spirituals review – full of feeling and fervour
Inspired by African American folk, the singer-songwriter’s latest is a heartfelt lockdown journey through loneliness, triumph and rage - Kadish Morris
starstarstarstarstarMarlon Williams: My Boy review – channelling good vibes
The usually lovelorn New Zealander is sunny side up on an album that embraces his inner synth-pop heart-throb - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarWollesen Ferm: Heart in Hand review – full of unexpected charm
American session drummer Kenny Wollesen and sax player Ned Ferm join forces on a record infused with Scandinavian cool and folk notes - Dave Gelly
starstarstarstarstarMabe Fratti: Se Ve Desde Aquí review – cathartic and powerful experimentation
The Guatemalan musician layers soft vocals and jarring textures to create a direct and forceful new tone - Ammar Kalia
starstarstarstarstarGeorge Riley: Running in Waves review – gorgeous, softly futuristic R&B
Riley’s frank lyrics and molten vocals are immersed in a polished soundscape from producer Vegyn - Tara Joshi
starstarstarstarstarSampa the Great: As Above So Below review – a triumphant and defiant homecoming
Sampa Tembo is no longer answering to Australia’s music industry, delivering a cohesive second album that oozes with confidence, empowerment and joy - Kish Lal
starstarstarstarstarOzzy Osbourne: Patient Number 9 review – immortal king of heavy metal cheats death again
The irrepressible rocker offsets his usual forays into the occult with moving contemplations of illness on a star-studded return - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarSudan Archives: Natural Brown Prom Queen review – dizzying earworms
Post-genre American musician Brittney Parks extends her range yet further on her dizzying second album - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarJackie Oates: Gracious Wings review – mortality and other moods
The English folk singer considers life’s landmarks, from childhood to dementia, on her affecting eighth album - Neil Spencer
starstarstarstarstarJoshua Redman Quartet: LongGone review – musical soulmates reunite to stunning effect
Individual success has only served to sharpen their intuition, as the jazz foursome return with a set that ranges across slinky blues and jamming gospel - John Fordham
starstarstarstarstarBerg: Violin Concerto; Three Orchestral Pieces review – an idiomatic and accomplished collection
Conductor Andrew Davis and warm-toned soloist James Ehnes vividly connect Berg’s early music to his later scores and the composers who were his models - Andrew Clements
starstarstarstarstarJulia Jacklin: Pre Pleasure review – more disarming introspection
The Australian singer-songwriter presides between confessional and observational on her arresting third album - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarTom Harrell: Oak Tree review – a trumpet player with all the time in the world
Harrell’s sometimes complex compositions exude leisurely warmth - Dave Gelly
starstarstarstarstarMegan Thee Stallion review – the perfect hostess
Her songs are riotously graphic but the Texas rapper radiates charm and southern hospitality in a joyous, sweltering show - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarJon Collin: Bridge Variations review – Stockholm soundscapes with nyckelharpa
Tapes of busy roads and dripping water mingle with the sound of the traditional Swedish instrument in this experimental folk album - Jennifer Lucy Allan
starstarstarstarstarKenny Beats: Louie review – brave, hooky, son-to-father reflections
The hip-hop producer’s debut album is affectionately infused with the spirit of his father’s mixtape introductions, along with good splash of obscure 70s soul - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarStella Donnelly: Flood review – dextrous songs and whip-smart lyrics reward a closer listen
Donnelly’s knack for finding the universal in the ordinary persists, in a more internal second album that’s awash with vivid imagery - Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen
starstarstarstarstarSean Shibe: Lost and Found review – bonkers but brilliantly curated
Shibe’s new ‘emporium of curiosities’ interprets modern music, millennium-old melodies and Moondog, a composer who slept rough in New York dressed as a Viking - Erica Jeal
starstarstarstarstarCass McCombs: Heartmind review – knotty nuance bathed in melodic succour
The turbulent, everyday lives of others populate the California singer-songwriter’s masterly new album - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarWatkins Family Hour: Vol II review – a great night out with ringside seats
US siblings Sara and Sean Watkins are joined by Fiona Apple, Jackson Browne and more on another set of old classics and new favourites in Nashville form - Neil Spencer
starstarstarstarstarKaitlyn Aurelia Smith: Let’s Turn It Into Sound review – glistening arpeggios and heavenly vocals
While tracks frequently change tempo, key and mood, and discordant elements overlap, occasionally the cacophony sounds sublime - John Lewis
starstarstarstarstarKurtág: Kafka-Fragmente review – Faust is exemplary on disc with extraordinary variety
The soprano and violinist create an hour-long work with emotional depth that is among the best of Kurtág’s recordings - Andrew Clements
starstarstarstarstarCyrus Chestnut: My Father’s Hands review – like Oscar Peterson in his heyday
This top American pianist pays tribute to his late church organist father, along with a crack bass and drums team - Dave Gelly
starstarstarstarstarStar Feminine Band: In Paris review – virtuosity meets protest on all-girl group’s second LP
The prodigious performers from Benin showcase their astounding pace of musical development, having only picked up their instruments for the first time in 2016 - Ammar Kalia
starstarstarstarstarDanger Mouse & Black Thought: Cheat Codes review – brimming with sheer love of the craft
Contemplating everything from hip-hop to the human condition, the ebullient and long-awaited collaboration is awash with cinematic beats and vivid rhymes - Tayyab Amin
starstarstarstarstarMegan Thee Stallion: Traumazine review – bruising brilliance from rap’s reigning queen
The Texan rapper comes out swinging on her latest release – slinging a seemingly limitless supply of fantastic insults at the industry and countless nameless foes - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarHudson Mohawke: Cry Sugar review – happy hardcore will never die
Joining the dots between rave and contemporary hip-hop, the Scottish producer’s feverish third solo album hovers on the edge of chaos - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarKing Stingray review – irresistibly joyful debut album from the Yolngu surf-rock kings
With Yothu Yindi in their bloodlines, the band have delivered a hooky and uptempo first album with a sound that’s all their own - Andrew Stafford
starstarstarstarstarAndrew Tuttle: Fleeting Adventure review – widescreen shimmer from the banjo wizard
The Australian’s ‘reverse doomscroll’ of a lockdown album brims with a sense of release - Neil Spencer
starstarstarstarstarBeyoncé: Renaissance review – a breathtaking, maximalist tour de force
The superstar’s seventh solo album is a kaleidoscopic barrage of disco, soul, house and dancehall that puts other post-pandemic party albums in the shade - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarCharles Lloyd Trios: Ocean review – a rich mix from a master enchanter
Devotion to jazz’s roots fill the latest album from the veteran saxophonist and flautist, which at times seems an almost private interchange - John Fordham
starstarstarstarstarMaggie Rogers: Surrender review – giving in to intensity
Urgent, forthright and rocking out, the American’s second studio album is a compelling change of direction - Kate Hutchinson
starstarstarstarstarArt Themen/Dave Barry Quartet: Hanky Panky review – what a difference a day makes…
A brief, last-minute session yielded solid gold for this spontaneous jazz grouping - Dave Gelly
starstarstarstarstarAmanda Shires: Take It Like a Man review – reimagining country strong
The frequently epic seventh album from the Nashville iconoclast digs into the sexuality, stoicism and vulnerability of modern womanhood - Jenessa Williams
starstarstarstarstarJacken Elswyth: Six Static Scenes review – the tension, twang and beauty of banjo
Tunes by well-known banjo players inspire new departures that range from avant garde to shimmeringly pretty - Jude Rogers
starstarstarstarstarFlorist: Florist review – an ode to the power and comfort of friendship
Emily Sprague reunites with her bandmates for a new album that plays like a family portrait – and stakes out new ground - Sophie Walker
starstarstarstarstarBeyoncé: Renaissance review – joyous soundtrack to a hot girl summer
On her unapologetically escapist seventh album, the pop superstar unleashes everything from disco bangers to global house hedonism - Tara Joshi
starstarstarstarstarFanny and Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Sextet, Quartet and Trio review – a sister steps out of the shadows
Vibrant performances of works by the Mendelssohns prove Fanny’s chamber music can stand up alongside any of the period - Erica Jeal
starstarstarstarstarCuco: Fantasy Gateway review – brash, playful and romantic
This confident second album from the Mexican American singer is a deft blend of scuzz and wistful kitsch - Tara Joshi
starstarstarstarstarLizzo: Special review – next-level irresistible disco-pop
Her astonishing vocals and relatable lyrics remain a joy as the force-of-nature singer-songwriter picks up where Cuz I Love You left off - Damien Morris
starstarstarstarstarJamie T: The Theory of Whatever review – the mouthy street poet grows up
Yearning ballads and joyful anthems show a more mature and vulnerable side to Jamie Treays - Ammar Kalia
starstarstarstarstarFlo Milli: You Still Here, Ho? review – soundtrack for an aspirational generation
(RCA Records)The Alabama rapper’s debut album showcases her playful, boastful take on southern rap and caption-worthy one-liners - Timi Sotire
starstarstarstarstarVarious artists: Imaginational Anthem Vol XI: Chrome Universal review – pedal steel brilliance
A nine-track survey compiled by Nashville-based player Luke Schneider shows the many faces of this drowsy, languid instrument - John Lewis
starstarstarstarstarGerald Barry: In the Asylum review – as elliptical and charming as ever
The enchanting, funny, infuriating style that has made the Irish composer’s operas so successful shines through in these smaller-scale works - Andrew Clements
starstarstarstarstarJamie T: The Theory of Whatever review – a triumph from an indie-rock survivor
Still a sparky and singular talent, the diverse styles on the singer-songwriter’s fifth album are bonded with grit - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarBlack Midi: Hellfire review – exhilarating ambition
The Londoners freely cram genres and ideas into their concept album about death - Phil Mongredien
starstarstarstarstarAlan Broadbent Trio: Like Minds – joyful precision
The pianist to the stars leads his trio in a set of outstandingly elegant improvisations - Dave Gelly
starstarstarstarstarMabel: About Last Night… review – tears and cheers on the dancefloor
(Polydor)Telling the story of a night out from carefree beginning to heartbreak close, the singer’s second album is a heady mix of house, synthpop and disco-tinged bangers - Michael Cragg
starstarstarstarstarLizzo: Special review – pop gold forged by a supreme force of charisma
The pressure she claims to be feeling doesn’t show on an album that delivers melancholy anthems and Chic-y disco while revitalising the cliches of self-care and empowerment - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarLamin Fofana review – ambient album trilogy is a bracing call to attention
The Sierra Leonean producer lulls with languid sonics then forces a sudden focus with sharp bursts of static or melody - Ammar Kalia
starstarstarstarstarTim Burgess: Typical Music review – freewheeling friskiness
Trading the Charlatans’ dancey grandeur for something scrappier, their frontman proves endearingly open-hearted on his third solo album - Damien Morris
starstarstarstarstarBig Scary: Me and You review – introspective and varied, with wonderful, harrowing moments
The Melbourne band’s compelling fifth record is concerned with love found and lost – and ends with a heartbreaking one-two punch - Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen
starstarstarstarstarMura Masa: Demon Time review – fleeting dance-pop joys
The British producer bounces back with a clutch of guests and an eclectic romp through genres - Ammar Kalia
starstarstarstarstarMichelle Branch: The Trouble With Fever review – solid country-pop, not notes on a scandal
While the album lands some damning jabs, the songwriting is insightful and even-keeled - Jenessa Williams
starstarstarstarstarOliver Sim: Hideous Bastard review – raw frankness on xx singer’s solo debut
Though he struggles to match the devastating lead single, Sim reveals new emotional range - Damien Morris
starstarstarstarstarYungblud: Yungblud review – punk-popper won’t grow up quietly
Despite the serious pose of his eponymous third record, the Doncaster firebrand is best when his tunes are big and bratty - Michael Cragg
starstarstarstarstarNina Nesbitt: Älskar review – honest electronic pop confessionals
The Scottish singer-songwriter balances catchy pop with reflections on a young woman’s navigation through society and the music business - Dave Simpson
starstarstarstarstarYungblud: Yungblud review – scaled-up arena ambitions meet trite teen poetry
With his second album, the rising pop-punk star shoots for the mainstream yet remains a staunch defender of the disaffected - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarWilliam Orbit: The Painter – welcome return of the classy dance master
Orbit’s glory years may be behind him, but the one-time superproducer’s latest album still offers smooth, ambient grandeur - Damien Morris
starstarstarstarstarMuse: Will of the People review – powerful angst undermined by bombast
Amid an OTT blizzard of musical styles, the English rockers meet doom head on, from the climate crisis to Liz Truss - Phil Mongredien
starstarstarstarstarAltered Images: Mascara Streakz review – Clare Grogan is reinvented as a retro disco diva
80s-influenced electropop gets a contemporary makeover as erstwhile giggly teen Grogan returns stronger than ever after 39 years - Dave Simpson
starstarstarstarstarDemi Lovato: Holy Fvck review – finally having fun
The US singer-songwriter shifts tack from last year’s trauma-led Dancing With the Devil, tapping into the pop-punk of her youthful debut - Sophie Harris
starstarstarstarstarAitch: Close to Home review – staking his claim to the mainstream
The sugar rushes are tempered by vulnerable, darker notes on the Manchester rapper’s hotly anticipated debut - Ammar Kalia
starstarstarstarstarThe Chats: Get Fucked review – Brisbane’s reprobate punks trade novelty for longevity
They may never recapture the naive charm of their viral debut – but the playing is tighter, the music tougher, and the songs still crackle with energy - Andrew Stafford
starstarstarstarstarThe Mountain Goats: Bleed Out review – a concept album that leads with bloody revenge
Shot through with pop-culture references, this 21st album from the indie rockers is brilliantly executed but offers limited emotional depth - Michael Hann
starstarstarstarstarAitch: Close to Home review – ‘100,000% Manc album’ not just for the Lynx lads
Referencing the Stone Roses and featuring Shaun Ryder, the Manchester rapper’s debut album stops short of a second coming – but it pushes his musical boundaries and subverts traditional hip-hop narratives - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarNiki: Nicole review – introspective indie from an artist in search of her sound
Familiar love stories and shades of Phoebe Bridgers characterise the young American’s delicate second album - Ammar Kalia
starstarstarstarstarKasabian: The Alchemist’s Euphoria review – in search of new beginnings
It’s business as usual for the electro-rockers after the departure of frontman Tom Meighan, but the choruses are falling flat - Damien Morris
starstarstarstarstarHot Chip: Freakout/ Release review – trying hard to be funky
The British dance-pop favourites make forays into the wilder side, but their mellow tempo prevails - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarLauv: All 4 Nothing review – a partial progression
More concise than his debut, the Californian’s second album still errs on the side of average - Ammar Kalia
starstarstarstarstarCalvin Harris: Funk Wav Bounces Vol 2 – irresistibly joyous
A-list guests including Dua Lipa, Jorja Smith and Stefflon Don provide the high points on the Scot’s quality funk follow-up - Damien Morris
starstarstarstarstarKokoroko: Could We Be More review – a debut of easy-going beauty
Dreamy brass to the fore, the London jazz octet make borderlessness their business on this thoughtful, elegant record - Kitty Empire
starstarstarstarstarPussy Riot: Matriarchy Now review – a gleeful up yours to orthodoxy
Ideology grinds against a kitsch, hypersexual aesthetic in the Russian rebels’ bizarre yet sometimes brilliant debut mixtape - Emily Mackay
starstarstarstarstarBritten: The Music for String Quartet review – group’s bright sound illuminates early works
Britten’s complete works for string quartet are brought together on these three discs in which the Quartet’s rather brittle playing serves the earlier works better than the more mature ones - Andrew Clements
starstarstarstarstarOrbital: 30 Something review – so-so celebration of pioneering ravers
A collection spanning more than three decades at the heart of British dance misses some gems and adds little of interest - Damien Morris
starstarstarstarstarVarious: Rise Jamaica review – independence celebration of the island’s pre-reggae sounds
This double-album selection of the music of 1962 shows the roots of ska and reggae – and the exuberance of the times - Neil Spencer
starstarstarstarstarNe-Yo: Self Explanatory review – nostalgic mid-tempo fillers
Strong vocals and head-nodding moments aside, the R&B singer-songwriter’s latest record falls short of his career highs - Ammar Kalia
starstarstarstarstarMura Masa: Demon Time review – brash sugar rushes with a 00s spin
The producer’s relentless garage-pop bombardment feels like standing next to a tween frantically scrolling through TikTok without earbuds - Alexis Petridis
starstarstarstarstarJulian Lennon: Jude review – echoes of polished pop fail to compensate for leaden production
(EMG)A few understated bright spots aside, Lennon’s first album in 11 years sinks under the weight of its soft-rock approach - Phil Mongredien
starstarstarstarstarCalvin Harris: Funk Wav Bounces Vol 2 review – wan background grooves for an A-list pool party
Harris enlists Dua Lipa, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell, Halsey and others for a second round of slinky disco-pop, but his luxurious production doesn’t disguise the dullness of the songs - Alim Kheraj
starstarstarstarstarHayley Kiyoko: Panorama review – second album is a leap backwards
This follow-up to her striking 2018 debut Expectations finds the LA singer-songwriter stymied by a synthetic production style - Ammar Kalia
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